Package for a suncream

ABSTRACT

A bottle ( 1 ) includes a base ( 2 ) and a continuous sidewall ( 3 ) extending upwardly from the periphery of the base ( 2 ) to a neck ( 4 ). The neck defines an opening ( 5 ) which is selectively blocked by a lid ( 6 ). Base ( 2 ) and sidewall ( 3 ) define a cavity for containing a suncream or, the like which a person selectively applies to their skin to reduce the harmful effects of the sun&#39;s rays. The package also contains display means for providing a person with the indication of the intensity of UV radiation, or another ambient condition, incident upon the package.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a package and in particular to apackage for a suncream.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention has been developed primarily for use with suncreamsor other forms of sun screening creams and will be described hereinafterwith reference to that particular application. It will be appreciatedthat the invention is not limited to that field of use and is alsoapplicable to other skin care products. In this regard it should benoted that the term “suncream” as used herein is intended to include anypreparation intended for application to the skin of humans and whichhas:

[0003] a sun screening factor; or

[0004] the ability to reduce the intensity of ultraviolet (UV) radiationthat would otherwise be incident upon the skin; or

[0005] a soothing or healing effect to skin which has become “sun burnt”or otherwise damaged due to exposure or over exposure to UV of otherradiation.

[0006] Accordingly, this term encompasses after sun preparations, sunblocking creams, barrier creams or the like, whether or not these areintended for direct use as a suncream or whether contained within acosmetic preparation.

[0007] Hitherto, sun creams or other skin care products have beenpackaged in conventional plastic or glass bottles to provide aconvenient transportable reservoir of the cream. Often such bottles willcarry information about the sun protection factor (SPF) offered by thecream or product contained within. The person or persons intending touse the cream as an impediment against skin damage caused by the sun'srays, and more particularly by TV radiation, can use this information asa guide to the level of protection offered to their skin by the cream.However, SPF information is neither readily understood nor properly usedby a significant percentage of the population and does not provideanything other than rudimentary information on the circumstances inwhich the cream will be beneficial.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0008] It is an object of the present invention, at least in thepreferred embodiment, to overcome or substantially ameliorate one ormore disadvantages of the prior art.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided apackage for a suncream, the package defining a cavity for containing thesuncream and display means for providing a person with an indication ofthe intensity of UV radiation incident upon the package.

[0010] Preferably, the display means indicates to the person thatambient conditions warrant the application of the cream to the person'sskin.

[0011] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided apackage for containing a suncream, the package including display meansfor indicating to a person that one or more predetermined ambientconditions warrant the application of the cream to the person's skin.

[0012] Preferably, the predetermined ambient conditions include theintensity of the UV radiation incident upon the package. In otherembodiments, however, the predetermined ambient conditions include thetemperature of the package.

[0013] More preferably, the package is a bottle which includes a baseand at least one sidewall extending upwardly from the base to define acavity for containing the suncream. Even more preferably, the sidewallincludes an opening for allowing selective removal of the suncream fromthe cavity and being selectively closed by a lid. More preferably, thelid is rotatably mounted to the sidewall for movement between an openand a closed configuration.

[0014] In a preferred form, the display means is located on one or moreof the following: the sidewall; the base; and the lid.

[0015] Preferably, the display means includes a region of photochromicmaterial which changes colour in response to the intensity of the UVradiation incident upon the region. In other embodiments, however, thedisplay means includes a region of thermochromic material which changescolour in response to the temperature of the region.

[0016] Preferably, the display means includes a multi-coloured striplocated adjacent the region for indicating which of the colours taken bythe region correspond to a high intensity of UV radiation.

[0017] Alternatively, the region includes the lid, wherein the sidewall,at least adjacent the opening, is coloured to correspond with the colourof the lid when a high level of UV radiation is incident thereupon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, byway of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

[0019]FIG. 1 is a side view of a bottle according to the invention;

[0020]FIG. 2 is a side view of an alternative bottle according to theinvention;

[0021]FIG. 3 is a side view of a further alternative bottle according tothe invention;

[0022]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a satchel according to theinvention; and

[0023]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a tube according to the invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Referring to FIG. 1 there is illustrated a bottle 1 including abase 2 and a continuous sidewall 3 extending upwardly from the peripheryof base 2 to a neck 4. The neck defines an opening 5 which isselectively blocked by a lid 6. Base 2 and sidewall 3 define a cavityfor containing a suncream or the like which a person selectively appliesto their skin to reduce the harmful effects of the suns rays. Asdiscussed above, these harmful effects are predominantly due to UVradiation and, accordingly, suncream is intended to be translucent oropaque to such radiation.

[0025] Typical suncreams include active ingredients such as zinc oxide,titanium dioxide, octyl methoxy cinnimate, octyl crylene, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, methoxy benzophenone, phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulphonicacid to create between the sun and the skin a barrier to UV radiation.Other active ingredients are known to those in the art. Moreover, somesuncreams utilise a combination of the above or other ingredients.

[0026] Bottle 1 is formed from plastics material and preferably fromhigh density polyethylene (HDPE). Other bottles are produced from otherplastics such as: low density polyethylene (LDPE); high densitypolypropylene (HDPP); low density polypropylene (LDPP); PET (Recycledplastic); or PVC. It is also known to package suncreams in glass orother bottles.

[0027] In the FIG. 1 embodiment, the HDPE is mixed prior to mouldingwith a photochromic dye that is responsive to the intensity ofultraviolet radiation incident thereupon. Sufficient dye is included toensure that the colour of the resultant package, as perceived by aperson, varies with the intensity of the UV radiation incident upon thebottle. Accordingly, bottle 1 provides an indication to a person thatambient conditions warrant the application of the suncream.

[0028] Referring now to FIG. 2, where corresponding features are denotedby corresponding reference numerals, there is illustrated an alternativebottle 10. Bottle 10 is a conventional plastics bottle which includes anadhered label 11 having a photochromic region 12. Disposed adjacent toregion 12 is a colour placard 13 which includes a plurality of discreetsegments of colours which correspond to the colour indicated by region11 when subject to different respective intensities of ultravioletradiation. Label 11 also includes explanatory indicia indicating whichof the colours in the respective segments correspond to a high level ofradiation and as such when the suncream should be applied. For example,when the colour of the region corresponds to the colour of a particularsegment the indicia may advise that persons with fair skin should applythe suncream to any exposed skin, while correspondence with a differentsegment may advice that any person would be advised to apply thesuncream.

[0029] In some embodiments either label 11 is removable or region 12 andplacard 13 are removable. In further embodiments label 11 is removablyattached to neck 4 by a cord or, alternatively, it includes an aperturewhich receives neck 4. In other embodiments label 11 is maintained inengagement with bottle 10 by way of shrink wrap.

[0030] Another alternative bottle 20 is shown in FIG. 3. Bottle 20includes a base 21 and a sidewall 22 extending upwardly from the base todefine an opening 23. Opening 23 is selectively closed by a lid 25. Base21 and sidewall 22 are produced from HDPE, while lid 25 is produced fromHDPE including a photochromic dye. Moreover, base 21 and sidewall 22 arecoloured to correspond to the colour of lid 23 when subject to a highlevel of UV radiation. Again, this indicates to a person that the UVradiation levels are sufficiently intense to warrant the use of thesuncream included within bottle 20.

[0031] In other forms, it is only the portion of sidewall 22 immediatelyadjacent lid 23 that is coloured to correspond to the colour of lid 23when subject to a high level of UV radiation. As will be appreciated bythose skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, any portion of thebottle, including the lid, can include photochromic material of the kindwhich will provide a perceptible colour change to a person uponvariation in the intensity of UV radiation.

[0032] Packages other than bottles can also embody the invention. Forexample, a satchel 30, such as that used for the sale of smallquantities of suncream or for promotional purposes, is illustrated inFIG. 4. Satchel 30 includes two opposed frangible sidewalls 31 and 32which are heat welded or crimped together to enclose the suncream.Sidewall 31 includes a photochromic dye, while sidewall 32 is colouredsuch that when the colour of the two sidewalls correspond it indicatesthat use of the suncream enclosed in the satchel is warranted.

[0033] The photochromic dye is included integrally within sidewall 31.In other embodiments, however, the photochromic dye is included within alayer of material that is laminated to sidewall 31 and not sidewall 32.

[0034] In an alternative embodiment both sidewalls include photochromicdye.

[0035] The invention is equally applicable to packages such as tubes orlined cardboard containers. By way of example, a tube 40 embodying theinvention is illustrated in FIG. 5. Tube 40 includes a sidewall 41 whichextends between a flattened end 42 defined by a heat weld 43 and acylindrical end 44 defining a threaded opening (not shown). The openingis selectively covered by a lid 45 for preventing inadvertent dispensingof the suncream contained within the tube.

[0036] Sidewall 41 is impregnated with a photochromic dye that isresponsive to the intensity of ultraviolet radiation incident thereupon.Sufficient dye is included to ensure that the colour of the resultantpackage, as perceived by a person, varies with the intensity of the UVradiation incident upon the tube.

[0037] In some embodiments the display means changes colour in responseto different temperatures. In one of these embodiments the packagecontains an after sun lotion and the region is intended for placementagainst the skin of a person. Once removed from the skin, if the regiontakes a predetermined colour this indicates to the person that thelotion should be applied to their skin.

[0038] Although the invention has been described with reference toparticular examples it would be appreciated by those skilled in the artthat it may be embodied in many other forms.

1. A package for a suncream, the package defining a cavity forcontaining the suncream and display means for providing a person with anindication of the intensity of UV radiation incident upon the package.2. A package according to claim 1 wherein the display means indicates tothe person that ambient conditions warrant the application of the creamto the person's skin.
 3. A package for containing a suncream, thepackage including display means for indicating to a person that one ormore predetermined ambient conditions warrant the application of thecream to the person's skin.
 4. A package according to claim 3 whereinthe predetermined ambient conditions include the intensity of the UVradiation incident upon the package.
 5. A package according to claim 2or claim 4 wherein the predetermined ambient conditions include thetemperature of the package.
 6. A package according to claim 2 or claim 4and including a base and at least one sidewall extending upwardly fromthe base to define the cavity for containing the suncream.
 7. A packageaccording to claim 6 wherein the sidewall includes an opening forallowing selective removal of the suncream from the cavity and beingselectively closed by a lid.
 8. A package according to claim 7 whereinthe lid is rotatably mounted to the sidewall for movement between anopen and a closed configuration.
 9. A package according to any one ofclaims 6 to 8 wherein the display means is located on one or more of thefollowing: the sidewall; the base; and the lid.
 10. A package accordingto claim 2 or claim 4 wherein the display means includes a region ofphotochromic material which changes colour in response to the intensityof the UV radiation incident upon the region.
 11. A package according toclaim 2 or claim 4 wherein the display means includes a region ofthermochromic material which changes colour in response to thetemperature of the region.
 12. A package according to claim 10 whereinthe display means includes a multi-coloured strip located adjacent theregion for indicating which of the colours taken by the regioncorrespond to a high intensity of UV radiation.
 13. A package accordingto claim 10 wherein the region includes the lid, and the sidewall, atleast adjacent the opening, is coloured to correspond with the colour ofthe lid when a high level of UV radiation is incident thereupon.